the golden road-第35节

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erly。　　It's　very　beautifulbut　it　might　sound　very　ridiculous　if　it　wasn't　told　just　exactly　the　right　way。〃

〃I　don't　know　what　you　mean；　and　I　don't　believe　you　know　yourself；〃　said　Felicity　pettishly。　　〃All　that　I　can　make　out　is　that　Miss　Reade　is　going　to　marry　Jasper　Dale；　and　I　don't　like　the　idea　one　bit。　　She　is　so　beautiful　and　sweet。　　I　thought　she'd　marry　some　dashing　young　man。　　Jasper　Dale　must　be　nearly　twenty　years　older　than　herand　he's　so　queer　and　shyand　such　a　hermit。〃

〃Miss　Reade　is　perfectly　happy；〃　said　the　Story　Girl。　　〃She　thinks　the　Awkward　Man　is　lovelyand　so　he　is。　　You　don't　know　him；　but　I　do。〃

〃Well；　you　needn't　put　on　such　airs　about　it；〃　sniffed　Felicity。

〃I　am　not　putting　on　any　airs。　　But　it's　true。　　Miss　Reade　and　I　are　the　only　people　in　Carlisle　who　really　know　the　Awkward　Man。　　Nobody　else　ever　got　behind　his　shyness　to　find　out　just　what　sort　of　a　man　he　is。〃

〃When　are　they　to　be　married？〃　asked　Felicity。

〃In　a　fortnight's　time。　　And　then　they　are　coming　right　back　to　live　at　Golden　Milestone。　　Won't　it　be　lovely　to　have　Miss　Reade　always　so　near　us？〃

〃I　wonder　what　she'll　think　about　the　mystery　of　Golden　Milestone；〃　remarked　Felicity。

Golden　Milestone　was　the　beautiful　name　the　Awkward　Man　had　given　his　home；　and　there　was　a　mystery　about　it；　as　readers　of　the　first　volume　of　these　chronicles　will　recall。

〃She　knows　all　about　the　mystery　and　thinks　it　perfectly　lovely　and　so　do　I；〃　said　the　Story　Girl。

〃Do　YOU　know　the　secret　of　the　locked　room？〃　cried　Cecily。

〃Yes；　the　Awkward　Man　told　me　all　about　it　last　night。　　I　told　you　I'd　find　out　the　mystery　some　time。〃

〃And　what　is　it？〃

〃I　can't　tell　you　that　either。〃

〃I　think　you're　hateful　and　mean；〃　exclaimed　Felicity。　　〃It　hasn't　anything　to　do　with　Miss　Reade；　so　I　think　you　might　tell　us。〃

〃It　has　something　to　do　with　Miss　Reade。　　It's　all　about　her。〃

〃Well；　I　don't　see　how　that　can　be　when　the　Awkward　Man　never　saw　or　heard　of　Miss　Reade　until　she　came　to　Carlisle　in　the　spring；〃　said　Felicity　incredulously；　〃and　he's　had　that　locked　room　for　years。〃

〃I　can't　explain　it　to　youbut　it's　just　as　I've　said；〃　responded　the　Story　Girl。

〃Well；　it's　a　very　queer　thing；〃　retorted　Felicity。

〃The　name　in　the　books　in　the　room　was　Aliceand　Miss　Reade's　name　is　Alice；〃　marvelled　Cecily。　　〃Did　he　know　her　before　she　came　here？〃

〃Mrs。　Griggs　says　that　room　has　been　locked　for　ten　years。　　Ten　years　ago　Miss　Reade　was　just　a　little　girl　of　ten。　　SHE　couldn't　be　the　Alice　of　the　books；〃　argued　Felicity。

〃I　wonder　if　she'll　wear　the　blue　silk　dress；〃　said　Sara　Ray。

〃And　what　will　she　do　about　the　picture；　if　it　isn't　hers？〃　added　Cecily。

〃The　picture　couldn't　be　hers；　or　Mrs。　Griggs　would　have　known　her　for　the　same　when　she　came　to　Carlisle；〃　said　Felix。

〃I'm　going　to　stop　wondering　about　it；〃　exclaimed　Felicity　crossly；　aggravated　by　the　amused　smile　with　which　the　Story　Girl　was　listening　to　the　various　speculations。　　〃I　think　Sara　is　just　as　mean　as　mean　when　she　won't　tell　us。〃

〃I　can't；〃　repeated　the　Story　Girl　patiently。

〃You　said　one　time　you　had　an　idea　who　'Alice'　was；〃　I　said。　　〃Was　your　idea　anything　like　the　truth？〃

〃Yes；　I　guessed　pretty　nearly　right。〃

〃Do　you　suppose　they'll　keep　the　room　locked　after　they　are　married？〃　asked　Cecily。

〃Oh；　no。　　I　can　tell　you　that　much。　　It　is　to　be　Miss　Reade's　own　particular　sitting　room。〃

〃Why；　then；　perhaps　we'll　see　it　some　time　ourselves；　when　we　go　to　see　Miss　Reade；〃　cried　Cecily。

〃I'd　be　frightened　to　go　into　it；〃　confessed　Sara　Ray。　　〃I　hate　things　with　mysteries。　　They　always　make　me　nervous。〃

〃I　love　them。　　They're　so　exciting；〃　said　the　Story　Girl。

〃Just　think；　this　will　be　the　second　wedding　of　people　we　know；〃　reflected　Cecily。　　〃Isn't　that　interesting？〃

〃I　only　hope　the　next　thing　won't　be　a　funeral；〃　remarked　Sara　Ray　gloomily。　　〃There　were　three　lighted　lamps　on　our　kitchen　table　last　night；　and　Judy　Pineau　says　that's　a　sure　sign　of　a　funeral。〃

〃Well；　there　are　funerals　going　on　all　the　time；〃　said　Dan。

〃But　it　means　the　funeral　of　somebody　you　know。　　I　don't　believe　in　itMUCHbut　Judy　says　she's　seen　it　come　true　time　and　again。　　I　hope　if　it　does　it　won't　be　anybody　we　know　very　well。　　But　I　hope　it'll　be　somebody　I　know　a　LITTLE；　because　then　I　might　get　to　the　funeral。　　I'd　just　love　to　go　to　a　funeral。〃

〃That's　a　dreadful　thing　to　say；〃　commented　Felicity　in　a　shocked　tone。

Sara　Ray　looked　bewildered。

〃I　don't　see　what　is　dreadful　in　it；〃　she　protested。

〃People　don't　go　to　funerals　for　the　fun　of　it；〃　said　Felicity　severely。　　〃And　you　just　as　good　as　said　you　hoped　somebody　you　knew　would　die　so　you'd　get　to　the　funeral。〃

〃No；　no；　I　didn't。　　I　didn't　mean　that　AT　ALL；　Felicity。　　I　don't　want　anybody　to　die；　but　what　I　meant　was；　if　anybody　I　knew　HAD　to　die　there　might　be　a　chance　to　go　to　the　funeral。　　I've　never　been　to　a　single　funeral　yet；　and　it　must　be　so　interesting。〃

〃Well；　don't　mix　up　talk　about　funerals　with　talk　about　weddings；〃　said　Felicity。　　〃It　isn't　lucky。　　I　think　Miss　Reade　is　simply　throwing　herself　away；　but　I　hope　she'll　be　happy。　　And　I　hope　the　Awkward　Man　will　manage　to　get　married　without　making　some　awful　blunder；　but　it's　more　than　I　expect。〃

〃The　ceremony　is　to　be　very　private；〃　said　the　Story　Girl。

〃I'd　like　to　see　them　the　day　they　appear　out　in　church；〃　chuckled　Dan。　　〃How'll　he　ever　manage　to　bring　her　in　and　show　her　into　the　pew？　　I'll　bet　he'll　go　in　firstor　tramp　on　her　dressor　fall　over　his　feet。〃

〃Maybe　he　won't　go　to　church　at　all　the　first　Sunday　and　she'll　have　to　go　alone；〃　said　Peter。　　〃That　happened　in　Markdale。　　A　man　was　too　bashful　to　go　to　church　the　first　time　after　getting　married；　and　his　wife　went　alone　till　he　got　used　to　the　idea。〃

〃They　may　do　things　like　that　in　Markdale　but　that　is　not　the　way　people　behave　in　Carlisle；〃　said　Felicity　loftily。

Seeing　the　Story　Girl　slipping　away　with　a　disapproving　face　I　joined　her。

〃What　is　the　matter；　Sara？〃　I　asked。

〃I　hate　to　hear　them　talking　like　that　about　Miss　Reade　and　Mr。　Dale；〃　she　answered　vehemently。　　〃It's　really　all　so　beautiful　but　they　make　it　seem　silly　and　absurd；　somehow。〃

〃You　might　tell　me　all　about　it；　Sara；〃　I　insinuated。　　〃I　wouldn't　telland　I'd　understand。〃

〃Yes；　I　think　you　would；〃　she　said　thoughtfully。　　〃But　I　can't　tell　it　even　to　you　because　I　can't　tell　it　well　enough　yet。　　I've　a　feeling　that　there's　only　one　way　to　tell　itand　I　don't　know　the　way　yet。　　Some　day　I'll　know　itand　then　I'll　tell　you；　Bev。〃

Long；　long　after　she　kept　her　word。　　Forty　years　later　I　wrote　to　her；　across　the　leagues　of　land　and　sea　that　divided　us；　and　told　her　that　Jasper　Dale　was　dead；　and　I　reminded　her　of　her　old　promise　and　asked　its　fulfilment。　　In　reply　she　sent　me　the　written　love　story　of　Jasper　Dale　and　Alice　Reade。　　Now；　when　Alice　sleeps　under　the　whispering　elms　of　the　old　Carlisle　churchyard；　beside　the　husband　of　her　youth；　that　story　may　be　given；　in　all　its　old…time　sweetness；　to　the　world。



CHAPTER　XXV

THE　LOVE　STORY　OF　THE　AWKWARD　MAN

（Written　by　the　Story　Girl）


Jasper　Dale　lived　alone　in　the　old　homestead　which　he　had　named　Golden　Milestone。　　In　Carlisle　this　giving　one's　farm　a　name　was　looked　upon　as　a　piece　of　affectation；　but　if　a　place　must　be　named　why　not　give　it　a　sensible　name　with　some　meaning　to　it？　　Why　Golden　Milestone；　when　Pinewood　or　Hillslope　or；　if　you　wanted　to　be　very　fanciful；　Ivy　Lodge；　might　be　had　for　the　taking？

He　had　lived　alone　at　Golden　Milestone　since　his　mother's　death；　he　had　been　twenty　then　and　he　was　close　upon　forty　now；　though　he　did　not　look　it。　　But　neither　could　it　be　said　that　he　looked　young；　he　had　never　at　any　time　looked　young　with　common　youth；　there　had　always　been　something　in　his　appearance　that　stamped　him　as　different　from　the　ordinary　run　of　men；　and；　apart　from　his　shyness；　built　up　an　intangible；　invisible　barrier　between　him　and　his　kind。　　He　had　lived　all　his　life　in　Carlisle；　and　all　the　Carlisle　people　knew　of　or　about　himalthough　they　thought　they　knew　everythingwas　that　he　was　painfully；　abnormally　shy。　　He　never　went　anywhere　except　to　church；　he　never　took　part　in　Carlisle's　simple　social　life；　even　with　most　men　he　was　distant　and　reserved；　as　for　women；　he　never　spoke　to　or　looked　at　them；　if　one　spoke　to　him；　even　if　she　were　a　matronly　old　mother　in　Israel；　he　was　at　once　in　an　agony　of　painful　blushes。　　He　had　no　friends　in　the　sense　of　companions；　to　all　outward　appearance　his　life　was　solitary　and　devoid　of　any　human　interest。

He　had　no　housekeeper；　but　his　old　house；　furnished　as　it　had　been　in　his　mother's　lifetime；　was　cleanly　and　daintily　kept。　　The　quaint　rooms　were　as　free　from　dust　and　disorder　as　a　woman　could　have　had　them。　　This　was　known；　because　Jasper　Dale　occasionally　had　his　hired　man's　wife；　Mrs。　Griggs；　in　to　scrub　for　him。　　On　the　morning　she　was　expected　he　betook　himself　to　woods　and　fields；　returning　only　at　night…fall。　　During　his　absence　Mrs。　Griggs　was　frankly　wont　to　explore　the　house　from　cellar　to　attic；　and　her　report　of　its　condition　was　always　the　same〃neat　as　wax。〃　To　be　sure；　there　was　one　room　that　was　a